American conservatives focus of new book

As an umbrella term, the word “conservative” has had its problems. From the American Revolution to the modern day, conservatives have rarely agreed on what, precisely, should be conserved. And it wasn’t until the 20th century that many conservative thinkers even wholly identified as conservative.

In “The Conservatives: Ideas and Personalities Throughout American History” (Yale University Press, 2009), history professor Patrick Allitt traces the conservative movement, revealing the connections between such disparate historical figures as Abraham Lincoln, Ayn Rand and Ronald Reagan. He shows ideological disconnects and internal splits that have surfaced in challenging times, and explores the common threads of belief that have kept the conservative movement intact.